Songs that Are Secretly About Running (At least to Me)

3 Comments April 7, 2016 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

Happy almost end of the week everyone!

I posted on Monday about some of the issues I’ve been having with training lately. After the weekend, I was not in a great place mentally with Delaware. I was pretty much ready to say I would never run another marathon (almost). I’m happy to report things have been going much better this week.

I’ll talk about it more later, but the biggest confidence boost for me was doing a mile repeat workout on Wednesday morning of 4 x 1 mile, for a total of 9 miles (with warm-up and cooldown). I was nervous about this workout with all the ankle/shin issues I’ve been having, but I decided to give it a try early in the morning before work (I knew I would not want to run 9 miles at the end of the day). I hit my goal splits and got the whole 9 miles done, all before 7 am. I was psyched.

In keeping with the theme of positive momentum, I thought I would share some of the songs that are favorites of mine in my marathon training playlist today. I know if you actually asked the artists of these songs what they are about, they (probably) wouldn’t say running. But I’m choosing to reinterpret for my own purposes. 🙂

“Me, Myself, and I” – G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha

Oh, it’s just me, myself and I –> perfectly exemplifies the solo training run
Solo ride until I die
‘Cause I got me for life…
Oh I don’t need a hand to hold
Even when the night is cold –> SO many cold runs with marathon training through the winter!
I got that fire in my soul –> What keeps you going when it gets hard

“Monster” – Imagine Dragons

I’m only a man with a candle to guide me
I’m taking a stand to escape what’s inside me –> When you run to release that ball of stress that forms over the course of a week
A monster, a monster
I’ve turned into a monster –> A really, really fast monster.
A monster, a monster
And it keeps getting stronger –> When you have that feeling that you’re getting stronger the longer you run

“Till I Collapse” – Eminem

‘Cause sometimes you just feel tired, you feel weak
And when you feel weak you feel like you want to just give up

But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you want to just fall flat on your face and collapse

–> I think this whole verse demonstrates Eminem must be a marathoner.

“Hold Me Down” – Halsey

My demons are begging me to open up my mouth
I need them, mechanically make the words come out
They fight me, vigorous and angry, watch them pounce
Ignite me, licking at the flames they bring about…

–> There will always be demons whispering in your ear to slow down, telling you that you’re not fast enough, or that you’ll never reach your goals.

Hold me down, hold me down
Sneaking out the back door,
Make no sound
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

–> Super dark? Yes. But there is something about running while listening to this song that makes me feel like I’m kicking those demons’ a$$es.

“Alive“ – Sia

I had a one-way ticket to a place where all the demons go –> Mile 20 of a marathon.
Where the wind don’t change
And nothing in the ground can ever grow
No hope, just lies
And you’re taught to cry into your pillow –> Yep, there’s usually a point in the marathon where you just want to cry into a pillow.
But I survived
I’m still breathing
I’m alive.

I found solace in the strangest place
Way in the back of my mind –> That place you go in your mind when your legs start to ache and your lungs burn.
I saw my life in a stranger’s face
And it was mine.

I just love song lyrics. I used to be really into poetry when I was younger, and I think that’s translated over into being really attentive to the words and messages of songs now. What are your go-to motivational songs (for running or just for life in general!)? What makes them special to you? Any recommendations for my marathon playlist?

Delaware Marathon Training: Week 2

7 Comments February 1, 2016 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

2 weeks down, 14 weeks to go til Delaware!!!!

It was another solid week and I’m feeling really optimistic about this second attempt at 26.2 miles. 14 weeks is a long way to go though, so I’ve just got to really focus on getting the most out of each individual workout. Here’s what this week looked like:

Monday – 30 minute boot camp class. I already posted about this, so moving right along…

Tuesday – 5 miles easy. I was scheduled to do 6, but I decided to cut a mile so that I had a little more time to get some stretching done before I had to head off to work. Surprisingly, I felt relatively ok during this run, but part of me knew I was going to be more sore the next day.

Wednesday – And as expected, the soreness really set in on this day. I had 5 miles of hill repeats to do though, so I sucked it up and headed to the gym to get this done on the treadmill in the morning. Charissa had left me some GREAT advice on how to do hill repeats on the treadmill, and I was excited to try some different variations. Actually, excited may not be quite the right word, considering how sore I was… There may have been a little bit of dread mixed in. I warmed up the first mile, then increased the elevation to 5.0, and turned the pace up a bit, being careful to keep it in my aerobic zone though. I held that for 2 minutes before dropping the pace and elevation for a 2 minute recovery. When I got bored with those, I mixed in 2 longer hill repeats of 1/2 mile at 3.0 elevation and a slightly faster pace. Those I enjoyed a lot better than the short intense hills.

Thursday – My rest/cross-train day. My friend had tried to convince me to go to another boot camp class with her and I strongly considered it, but ended up passing so that I’d feel fresh for Friday’s tempo run. I still ended up going to the gym after work though, I just focused on my arms and abs. It was so crowded though! Since I’ve gotten so used to getting to the gym by 5:45 am, I had forgotten how crazy it is in the evenings. My gym has a really small area for stretching and core work, and so it can be difficult to snag a spot there. I saw way too much of this on Thursday night –

This KILLS me. If you’re not working out, stop taking up the space!!!! Ok, mini-rant over. I probably did about 45-50 minutes and then headed out.

Friday – 6 miles, with 4 at 8:06/mile. These 4 fast miles were kind of challenging. I’m getting much more comfortable on the treadmill, and it is more convenient to run these types of fast runs in a warm, well-lit gym than out on the roads in the dark, BUT I find myself much more comfortable running a faster pace outdoors. Maybe part of me is just irrationally afraid that I will fly off the back of the treadmill? (See 9 people who lost to treadmills)

Saturday – I decided to get my long run out of the way even though my plan technically calls for a Sunday long run (I think I may stick with this throughout the 16 weeks). It had been ages since I had done a run with the club I joined a few months ago, and they were planning on 10-14 miles, so I figured I would meet up with them. My plan called for 9 miles again, but I figured I would play it by ear and go a little longer if I was feeling good. I ran to our meeting spot, which ended up being exactly 3 miles from my apartment. These 3 miles I did at 8:51/mile, which is a little fast for a warm-up for me, but I was nervous I was going to get lost and I was cutting it close from the time I left my apartment. Luckily, I made it there, no problem. There was a good sized group of 8 or so runners and we quickly headed off on our route after introductions.

Some of the group was going a full 14 miles, but I peeled off with a group doing 8 miles, bringing me to a total of 11 miles for the day. I’m going to have to do more of my long runs with them! We averaged 8:33/mile for our 8 miles, and I felt great the whole way. There was a lot of stop and go, waiting at street crossings, which may have partially contributed to how good I felt. I forgot how much I love running with groups though! The miles tick by so much faster and it just felt really good to mix things up. The weather was BEAUTIFUL too; it felt more like the beginning of spring than the last day of January!

After we finished up, I decided to take an Uber home, rather than tack on an additional 3 miles, running back to my house. My Uber driver noticed my running clothes – turns out, he had run a couple of marathons many years ago! We chatted about running and training during the short drive back to my house and he wished me luck on my marathon.

Then, I came in and the newest issue of Runner’s World had arrived. I had been hoping it would come for days, especially after I saw the newest issue at the grocery store (and was almost tempted to buy it, despite having a subscription) It was seriously the best morning ever!!! 🙂

Sunday – 6 miles. I probably should have run these slower, but I wanted to see how it felt running my goal pace outside versus on the treadmill. My splits were:

Mile 1 – 9:00/mile, Mile 2 – 8:38/mile, Mile 3 – 8:03/mile, Mile 4 – 8:47/mile, Mile 5 – 8:09/mile, Mile 6 – 8:40/mile

Miles 3 and 5 were when I was aiming for 8:05, so I was a little under and a little over, but not bad. Running this pace definitely feels more manageable outdoors (at least on the flats!) It was a gorgeous day to run again, with temps in the mid 40s. All the birds were out, and it felt like spring. I stopped to take a pic during the last mile-

Total Mileage for the Week: 34

Motivation Levels: Still High!

And this week’s inspirational quote:

And now I’m off to Ohio for work! Be back soon 🙂

How was your week? Would you rather run long with a group or by yourself?

The Falmouth Road Race: Part 3 [The Expo]

2 Comments August 26, 2015 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

Need to catch up?

So Nora has filled everyone in a bit about our adventures at the 2015 Falmouth Road Race, but I thought I might add a few words about some of the highlights for me.

Because this race is so popular that people routinely book their hotel rooms the same day of the race, for the following year, it was impossible for us to find a place to stay in Falmouth. So if you are new to this race, and don’t have relatives or an existing connection with an inn in Falmouth, don’t be afraid to look for lodgings beyond the Falmouth area. We eventually found a cute B&B in Sandwich, called the Cranberry Manor which was very nice and convenient to Falmouth.

So going back to the expo…..Obviously, hearing Meb Keflezighi and David McGillivray, director of the B.A.A. , speak was very exciting.

Meb spoke a bit about his early life in Eritrea and also gave some of us older runners some advice. Because Meb just turned forty, he is now officially in the “Masters” division, though that title is clearly not slowing him down! But he did stress that we older runners really need to take the time to stretch and to incorporate it into our routines, just like brushing our teeth. (I have actually been pretty religious about stretching since starting my training for the Bay State Marathon, so it felt good to get the “nod” from Meb.)

Taking our selfie, and buying his book, Run to Overcome (which he autographed!!), was probably my favorite part of the expo.

I’ve already read a good chunk, and it’s been so inspiring, especially with my current marathon training.

However, we also attended a talk by Tatyana MacFadden – and that was awesome, too (Props to the Falmouth Road Race for knowing how to put on a great expo!)

Tatyana (who was born with spina bifida) was born in an orphanage in St. Petersburg Russia, but adopted and brought to the U.S. Once here, she began her amazing career as a Paralympic athlete, with many, many victories in the wheelchair divisions of marathons all around the world. Her story is both heartwarming and inspiring and worth reading about! One reason I was so thrilled to meet her is because I have a niece who was adopted from an orphanage in China, who is also an athlete with a disability. Zoey, who is 13 years old now and has dwarfism came to the U.S in 2010. About two years ago, she began a swimming program through BlazeSports, the nationwide feeder organization for the U.S Paralympics.

This is Zoey with her coach, Fred Lambeck, and assistant coach, Julie (Coach Fred’s daughter who is also an occupational therapist).

Though Zoey and all her teammates train with various physical disabilities, they learn not to let those disabilities slow them down – and they have fun and make lots of friends while doing it. So meeting a girl like Tatyana was a pretty special for us, and we wanted to share that with everyone.

If you’d like to learn more about the programs at Blaze, check them out at BlazeSports.org.

Hope you’re having a great week!

10 Reasons Why the Half Marathon Is Where It’s At

6 Comments July 31, 2015 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

If you are familiar with 2 Generations Running, than you know my mom and I LOVE the half marathon distance. It’s so popular right now with the ladies (61% of half marathon finishers in 2014 were females) that if I didn’t know anything about races/running, I would think it couldn’t POSSIBLY live up to all the fuss. But then, I would be wrong. If you’ve never tried a half marathon, you need to. Here’s why it’s my favorite distance and why my mom and I are aiming for 13.1 miles in every state.

It gives you plenty of time to warm-up. When you run a 5k, you need to reach your race pace right from the get-go, which means you better warm up and be ready to kick ass right when that gun goes off. At least with the half marathon, you can ease yourself into your desired pace and still get a great time.
13.1 miles = plenty of scenery to check out, which is especially awesome if you’re running in a pretty or unfamiliar area. It’s the perfect way to explore, and you don’t have to worry about getting lost since your course has already been plotted out. No compass or map required. 🙂
… But it’s also not so many miles that you will be essentially hobbled by the end of the race (*cough marathon cough…) One of my favorite episodes of How I Met Your Mother – when Barney spontaneously decided to run the NYC marathon, got on the subway after, and then got stuck because he couldn’t get up. 🙂
It’s significant enough of a distance that you don’t feel silly traveling to run one. With a 5k, you’ll be done in half an hour or less most of the time. I love running, but even I would have to say it would have to be a pretty dang special 5k for me to be willing to drive 2-3 hours to run for such a short amount of time.
But on the other hand, you won’t be running ALL DAY with the half marathon. Depending on the start time, you can finish up with plenty of time to grab a nice brunch afterwards, and who doesn’t love brunch?!
13.1 miles is still far enough to earn you some serious bragging rights with friends and family.
Yeah, you may get a few blisters but I’ve never had toenails fall victim to the half marathon, the way I did when I ran the full marathon (I’m still traumatized from that clearly.)
If you maintain a good base, you can train for a half marathon in a relatively short period of time. I trained for the Providence Half (and scored a PR!) with only 4 weeks of time to raceday from when I registered for the race. Unless you are some kind of Wonder Woman who regularly logs a 17-18 mile long run on the weekends (which if you are, then I salute you), that would be difficult to pull off with a marathon.
It gives you time to make new friends out on the course. With shorter distances, most people will focus on going fast, which doesn’t make conversation easy. It’s a lot easier to commiserate with someone over a hilly course when you’re both going to be out there running for 2+ hours or so.
With *most* half marathons, you’ll get a nice tech t-shirt. I LOVE running in my old half marathon shirts. Plus it’s a great conversation starter when you meet other runners who also ran that race!

So seriously – go register for a half marathon NOW. I’m sure I’ve got you convinced 😉

Have a great weekend!

Killin’ It In Your Workouts

Leave a comment July 16, 2015 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

Happy Thursday!

So last week, ETB Fit (a sports nutrition company) reached out to me about sharing some of my key tips for fueling my workouts. While I’ve never tried any ETB products, I have heard good things and was impressed by their company and the story of how they got their slogan – “Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.” Check out their website and products page to learn more about them, get recipes, and as a general health resource!

What foods do you eat pre-workout?

What you eat before a run or hard workout is SO IMPORTANT. It plays a huge role in how I feel during the actual exercise and how I perform. I’ve found that protein bars or toast with peanut butter and jam, work well for me. And because I’m “Fueled by coffee“, I will ALWAYS have at least one cup of coffee before working out – sometimes more if I’m not in a rush.

I don’t eat yogurt, cereal, or anything with a lot of dairy because it feels way too heavy in my stomach. Fun story – once my mom and I went on a little family outing in the late morning and ended up getting ice cream. That would’ve been fine, except that we tried to do a 10-mile run when we got back. Bleh. That run lives on in my memory as one of the ugliest, most uncomfortable runs I’ve ever experienced.

What music do you listen to during your workout?
I love upbeat, top 40 hits. Right now, I am obsessed with “Shut Up and dance with me”, “Elastic Heart” and a whole bunch of Ellie Goulding songs. In fact, this is the playlist I listen to 99% of the time when I go for runs right now –

How do you switch up certain routines daily/weekly to stay motivated?

As a blogger myself, I obviously enjoy reading running blogs. A LOT. I love reading other people’s race recaps, and sometimes I will read one while I eat my breakfast before going out for an early morning run because the excitement and enthusiasm in these types of posts are just contagious! They get me psyched even though I’m not the one racing. I also like to check my Instagram account to get motivated. I follow a bunch of other health/fitness bloggers and trainers, and seeing their healthy lifestyles in action keeps me feeling like I’m a part of this bigger community and that is definitely a big help when I’m tired at the end of a long day and don’t want to workout.

What do you eat or do after your workout to make sure you got the most
out of your workout?
I’m a big smoothie fan. They’re great both for hydration and as a source of protein to help my muscles recover after a tough workout. When I was training for my first marathon, I spent pretty much all my long runs fantasizing about the smoothies I would make when I was done. My go-to recipe right now is: vanilla Greek yogurt, frozen banana slices, a tablespoon of peanut butter, a sprinkle of instant coffee granules and low-fat milk (or almond milk if I have it). I also LOVE cinnamon protein powder though, and that makes a pretty delish recovery drink.

What are your tips for staying motivated? Have you ever experienced an awful run as a result of something you ate? Do you have an awesome smoothie recipe? (I’m always looking to try new ones!)

Spring Workout Tanks {A Giveaway!}

18 Comments March 2, 2015 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

Hello there!

So I have excellent news to report. MARCH HAS BEGUN! It’s the official sign that believe it or not, spring is on its way! I am so looking forward to being able to go out and run without first bundling up in 50 million layers, like I had to for the Stu’s Relay yesterday (which went AWESOME by the way – full recap coming later this week!)

The warmer weather also means it’s time for some cute, new workout clothes!

Have you guys heard of Etsy? I’m going to assume most of you have, but in case not- Etsy is a website where individuals or small business owners can sell their handmade or designed products. It’s a little different than shopping the big mall stores because you’re supporting these amazing entrepreneurs (and you can find more unique products!) Etsy is awesome for a HUGE variety of products, including workout tanks.

In this post, I wanted to show some of my picks for Etsy’s workout apparel. Plus, I have a giveaway and coupon code for you guys. 🙂

1. Keep Calm and Workout ($17.99) – Available from the shop, Strongnewsexy on Etsy. I love the ‘keep calm’ slogan and think it’s so cute on a workout tank. 🙂

2. Running Sucks (in the Disney font! $16.50) – Also from Strongnewsexy. How funny would it be to wear this at a Disney race??

3. Beyoutiful ($15.50) – Sold by the shop DripDesigns on Etsy. This tank is so cute (and kind of goes along with this post from the other day!)

The last 3 tanks all come from the shop Glow Girl Fitness on Etsy.

4. Should Would Could Did ($19.99) What better way to motivate yourself than with a tank with a slogan like this?

5. Strong is Beautiful ($19.99) – This top is also available in a gorgeous coral color!

6. Drop Deadlift Gorgeous ($19.99) – Perfect for all you cross-fitters or heavy lifters out there 🙂

Now, here’s the fun part – Bridgett the shop owner of Glow Girl Fitness was kind enough to agree to share a coupon code with ALL of you for 15% off any item in her shop. That code is: 2GENRUN15 (she also has some cute and cozy sweatshirts available in her shop!)

And to top it all off, one lucky reader will win a free workout tank of their choice from Glow Girl Fitness! To enter, just comment below telling me which tank is your favorite. Contest closes Wednesday at midnight. 🙂

What I would Have Told Myself About Running… Before I Started

2 Comments February 9, 2015 Nora @ 2 Generations Running

Hello there!

I was in a bit of a reflective mood the other day and started thinking about my early days of running. I was very focused on soccer for most of my childhood, but then I decided to give track and field a try my freshman year of high school. I was only a sprinter though – anything longer than the 400 meter TERRIFIED me. I don’t think my younger self would believe it if somehow I magically time traveled back and told myself that I would eventually run a full marathon. My younger self would be all “yeah, good joke Nora, you can barely run a 5k.”

But IF the technology ever progressed to the point where I was able to time-travel back and talk to my younger self (without permanently damaging the space-time continuum), here are some things I would tell myself about running.

Some runs will suck, even if you totally love running. I think I had a misconception starting out, that running would be this triumphant, endorphin-y experience ALL the time. It’s not. Sometimes you do get those runs where the weather’s just perfect, all roads seem to be downhill, and you just feel fast and invincible. And then other times, your ponytail seems to give you a mysterious headache with every bounce of your stride, random muscles ache, and you just feel crappy. But that’s ok, because you get through those days.
Shoes DO matter. And no, it’s best not to pick a pair simply because it’s the most stylish. (although to be fair, color does still play a role in my choice in sneakers. But I try to consider my foot type and comfort as well).
Running 6.2 miles, 13.1, and even further can be fun. Weird concept, I know. (T-shirts and finisher’s medals do help.)
Don’t get discouraged about others being faster than you – just work to be faster than you were yesterday. And while that does sound cheesy, there really is no better feeling than a PR.
Cross-train and stretch (both to make yourself a stronger runner and to stave off boredom.)
And lastly, it’s going to make jeans a little cozy around the calves.

So there you go! Is there anything you wish you’d known about running in the beginning?

Have a great day 🙂